


Once upon a old King's obsession

by LuXMavis_173



Category: Borderlands (Video Games), the tales of the borderlands
Genre: Birds, Cast - Freeform, F/F, F/M, Gen, Knights - Freeform, M/M, Multi, Obsession, Other, Rape maybe, Souls, Spirits, Witch - Freeform, Witch AU, corvid, familiar, period writing, rhack - Freeform, spells
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-12-28
Packaged: 2019-01-15 17:59:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12326007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LuXMavis_173/pseuds/LuXMavis_173
Summary: It was long long ago, after the death of Hyperion and the rise of Atlas.Rhys read his books, eating up the material of the old ones, determined to be a betterruler than the Old King.But when it came to light that Rhys needed help ruling this new regime, he called upon the help of someone that his friends has least expected.





	1. A New King in town

“Once upon a time, children,” The story teller sat upon his stump throne. The sunlight reflected off the water pouring from the stone fountain behind him, giving the man a halo like hallucination.  
Little children in their homemade dresses and crude shirts and pants crowed around the older man, sitting cross legged on the coble stone street, forming an arch, as busy adults crossing between shops and vendors in hurried around them. The noise generated by main square was tuned out as the children latched onto the man’s engaging tale.  
The speaker’s smile sparkled, reaching his mixed matched eyes. “There was a very powerful wizard who made the best decision of his life...  
It was many many years before the man and the children but, after the fall of the kingdom of Hyperion and Atlas that had rose from their ashes.  
There was a man, a single man, with two of his friends, one was a former accountant for the Hyperion regime and the other is still trying to recover from her traitorous act….  
The man’s voice floated off into a dream as the character come to life in the captured audience’s mind.  
Rhys tugged on his robes, hat and stalked to the door.  
Vaughn’s voice floated after him, calling from his new office as right-hand man to the Atlas CEO. “I’m just saying this isn’t a very good idea,” Vaughn paused. “I mean I think it’s not a very good idea. I just, RHYS.”  
Rhys slammed the door behind him.  
“Well I on the other hand think it’s a great idea,” Yvette said, smiling. She had taken up the position of acting as Rhys’ advisor when Vaughn wasn’t around. Which usually meant she agreeing to all of Rhys’ bird brained ideas.  
The door quickly opened and Vaughn stood there in his bandit king gear. The light of the bond fire danced shadows on Vaughn’s face. Making it hard for Rhys to read his best bro’s emotions. “Don’t listen to her,” Vaughn argued. “She’s just trying to get back on your good side.”  
Yvette shot Vaughn a look. They stood in a meadow surrounded by dark trees, brilliant bright starlight contrasted against the night sky. One of the duties Atlas resident was to start a bonfire, ever so many feet lighting the pathways between mixed matched buildings. Shadows danced on the cobble stone, reflecting off of stick houses, tents, and the old ruins of the old ones.  
Vaughn sighed. “Look, I’m not on anyone’s side here, but seriously bringing back an old king, that has barley been dead enough to cool in his grave, seems like a very, very bad idea.”  
Rhys rolled his eyes. “Listen,”  
“No, I’m not done,” Vaughn said. “And what is he going to do once he knows that your lineage was the one who put him in said grave?”  
Rhys put his hands up to silence his advisors. “Okay, I get where you’re coming from, okay. But I had nothing to do with the old King’s death. And I’m not responsible for what my uncle did. Alright? The last thing I know is I’m being jerked out of the convent for accidentally setting the head nun on fire, then I get thrown into some makeshift jail and forced to pull a sword from a stone. Before I even have a chance to breath my uncle, who I have never met and has killed the old king by this time, died from flesh wounds and I am thrusted into the position of leading a regime. I’m new to this as much as anyone else here.”  
“If. You. Bring. Back. The. Old. King. You. Will. Never. Be. Respected. By. Your. People. Again,” Athena said, appearing from the shadows. Athena acted, as she once did with Rhys’ uncle, as personal guard for the king.  
Rhys glanced over. “I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse, so he won’t get the choice to not disobey me,” Rhys said, shrugging.  
Athena made a disapproving noise, but made no other arguments.  
Rhys glanced around his council, they had been doing all they could for the past year and a half, serving Rhys’ Uncle, planning a revolution against the old king, with Cyprus leading. But when he took a shot with a poison arrow that sent vile straight to his heart, Rhys was summoned to lead the now-free Atlas regime.  
Since the six months that Rhys had taken over he had kept his promise to his council and to his people, that he would make sure Atlas was not at all like Hyperion. But alas, Rhys needed some counseling on how to run a kingdom, but none of his advisors had the experience that Rhys needed.  
Which led to him getting the bird-brained idea to reanimate the old king. And time was running out. All the books that Rhys had said that, unless the subject was a god or an entity that was not born with a soul, there was a limited time for him to reincarnate said human.  
Rhys had been in charge for six months and the old king had died eight months ago.  
And once he got the human reincarnated, what will he do with him?  
“Well I can’t come with you if you do this,” Vaughn said. “Someone has to be here to watch the kingdom in case you kill yourself.”  
“I helped you gather the ingredients,” Yvette said. She checked the list that Rhys would need, it read: A bird feather, six pieces of gold, black coffee, a handful of gems, a mask and a unicorn horn.  
“Where the hell are you going to get a unicorn horn,” Athena asked, giving Yvette a sneer. “Those things are under the endangered spices and kept out in the Netherlands away from human contact.”  
“There is a company that sells the horns once the animal dies, it was a pretty price but we got it,” Yvette said, quickly. “With my circulation, sir, you have to do this soon, like tonight, we don’t have another red blood moon for another three months and that is after the expiration date for this spell.”  
“So wait, you’re going to do this tonight,” Vaughn stepped out of the doorway and up closer to his tall friend. “Like tonight tonight, like right now?”  
Rhys sighed. “I need to do this, Vaughn.”  
“I’ll follow you in to the woods, but I’m not going to be close once you start with this hell bent idea of yours,” Athena said. “I’m not getting cursed. Though I’m not sure I could resist and other chance to cut his head off.”  
Rhys nodded. “Thank you, Athena.”  
“So is anyone going to tell Timmy or is that going to be my job too,” Vaughn sighed. “That’s what I thought.” He responded when Rhys shrugged.  
“Well if we are going to do this, I need to start now,” Rhys said. He bowed to his friends and lead Athena off the path and into the woods. 

Rhys set up the bondfire together. Athena stood in the shadows, leaning against a tree with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.  
Rhys lit the fire using a basic fire spell and glanced at the yellowed piece of parchment. The first thing was to drop in the coffee in first, then the gold and gems at the same time, the mask next and lastly the bird feather. But Rhys must do this in quick session and while repeating the ancient words scribbled on the corner of the page.  
Rhys found at himself. Latin was hard for him to comprehend but he’s sure the words said something along the lines of “I am Handsome Jack’s bitch.” Rhys shook his head, the wizard hat’s point dipped this way and that with movement, he thought to himself. “Yvette better not be messing with me.”  
Following the instructions, Rhys started.  
At first nothing happened.  
But when the tops of the trees started bowing, and the moon shown bright casting a red shadow on the young wizard, even Athena, an assassin herself, got a little nervous.  
As the spell marched on, the trees bowed even deeper, a loud crash erupted from behind Athena and she jumped forward, nudging the salt and brick dust circle with the tip of her boot, without her knowledge, breaking the circle. Athena made a move to step over the ring but Rhys held up a hand to pause her, not breaking from his chant.  
Lighting broke the sky with a loud flash and crash. Rhys was knocked back on to his ass as the end of the electric particles met with the tip of the bonfire.  
Athena, scared to break the circle, called out to him. “Sir, are you alright?”  
Rhys blinked his eyes open, “Yes, yes I’m fine, you can crossover now,” Rhys said, sitting up and leaning a forearm on his knee, the metal hand propping him up behind him. “I’m not sure it worked.”  
“I’m not sure, boss,” Athena said, appearing behind Rhys. She grasped Rhys under the armpits and hulled him forward, “But let’s get you home, the doctor can check you out, that lighting was very close. It’s probably what caused the tree to fall behind me earlier.”  
“True, I was hoping this would work,” Rhys said. He slung his flesh arm over Athena’s shoulders.  
Athena shrugged. “Well there is always plan B.” They limped back to the Atlas settlement.  
Neither of them saw the Corvid sitting high above them, in the tree tops, watching Rhys with much interest.


	2. There was a bird and a boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, Rhys meets his familiar, who might be a little obsessed with the new king.   
> Rhys is going to have to rein his demon in.   
> But I doubt the corvid would mind that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure what I got myself into.   
> If anyone one has some comments or complaints feel free to comment.   
> I read all of them.

The Corvid, landed outside of Rhys’ hut. The bird sat on the window sill, watching the cyborg with much interest. Candle light bounced off the bird’s black eyes, mocking the fire that burned within him, his matching black feathers reflected a blue tent at the tips.   
The bird cocked his head to the left and to the right, studying the group gathered in the living room of the makeshift hut.   
“You followed all of the directions,” Yvette said. “All of them, you didn’t miss anything, you didn’t miss stepped, no one moved from their positions, right?”   
Rhys sighed, “Yes, right, I did everything you said, I even stopped Athena from crossing the boundary.”   
Yvette looked over at Athena. “And you promise me that you did not break the circle, not even a little, you didn’t move the dust at all? You sure about this?”  
Athena threw out her arms with a loud sighed. “I’m telling you, Rhys stopped be before I could cross.”  
“What is with these questions anyway, Yvette,” Vaughn asked.   
Yvette sighed. “Alright, I didn’t want to alarm you, Rhys, but I have been doing some reading upon the old king and his origins and such, because I knew you didn’t know much about him and I wanted to help, well the more that I involved myself, the more I came to understand who the Old King really was.” Yvette paused and looked at her notes.   
“Well spit it out,” Athena snapped.   
Yvette shot a look at her and continued. “Alright, so Rhys, this “Old King”, they make references to him back all the way back to the beginning of Hyperion, years before this recent Old King, or so I thought. They talk about the original “Old King” reining from 1313 until even 1462, I guess he was “murdered” then. But which doesn’t make since because he would have to be around 130 years old if he started reigning when he was 18. IF. Because sometimes kings took over then in a very young age.”  
“Yeah, get to your point,” Athena said, rolling her eyes.   
“I’m just surprised someone could live that long,” Yvette said.   
“Maybe he was a wizard, some wizards live for ages, sometimes 300 years,” Vaughn said.   
“Yes, I know but that isn’t the only strange thing,” Yvette said. “I looked up a “photo”, more like a very crude sketch, of this “Old King” murdered in 1462. And he looks a lot A LOT like the Old King Rhys’ uncle just killed.”  
“Did they say who murdered the original Old King,” Rhys asked.   
“No, but they made a reference to “The Left Hand of God”,” Yvette said.   
“God? Which God? There are tons of Gods,” Athena sighed. “Either way this doesn’t change anything, the spell didn’t work and we’re back to square one with the vault monsters that Daul had released, threating to charge into our community once the shield spells that Rhys has put up finally falls down.”  
Vaughn shot Athena a look. Rhys ignored them both.   
“Can you tell me why you’re bringing this up and why it matters to if Athena broke the circle,” Rhys asked, quietly.   
Yvette took a breath, steading herself she read her notes to the group. “Well what I found and if I am correct, the Old King was not human at all. If I am going with that theory I will also say that the only person who can summon the Old King has to be somehow is or related to this “Left hand of God” reference,” She looked up and glanced between the three pairs of eyes in the room. “If the spell was successful that means two things.” Yvette held up a finger. “That the Old King really is a demon and two, that Rhys is somehow related to the one person who originally killed the Old King. Which in this theory would actually but this Old King now.”  
Rhys sighed.   
“Okay, but what does that have to do with me, if I broke the circle,” Athena asked.   
“That you just released a blood thirsty entity into the world where he was once banished from and probably here to take revenge on Rhys and the whole Atlas kingdom by breaking the seal before Rhys had a chance to bind the familiar to him,” Yvette said in one breath.   
“Why are you calling him a demon now,” Rhys asked.  
“The reason why I am calling him a demon right now is because if he was a human spirit he would have presented himself to you in a form of a blue ball of energy.” Yvette pointed at Rhys. “You said you didn’t see anything, so this led me to believe we are messing with something way more dangerous than a silly human.”  
“So, what does it mean if the spell didn’t work at all and we just got out timing off,” Vaughn said.   
Yvette tossed her notes down. “Than none of this matter anyway because we still don’t have a plan to defeat the impending threat of vault hunters. But we’ll probably run out of food for the village before then anyway so what does it matter?”  
Rhys sighed and fell back into his animal skin and wicker chair, fire danced on candlewick, ignorant to the looming shadow falling upon the room. “So, we have two choices, we either search for a demon that I have no idea how to tell if the spell worked or we die from vault monsters and starvation.”  
“Pretty much,” Yvette says cheerfully, sarcastically.   
The bird had enough of this, but he was not ready to make his presence known just yet. He would rather meet with the cyborg first. A lone. Preferably when he is most vulnerable.   
But the advisors were not leaving their ruler anytime soon so the corvid settled down to take a nap. He was out for an hour when the opening of doors stirred him awake, finally, they were leaving.   
The bird looked into the room again, his beady black eyes narrowing down on the cyborg, studying him. The corvid watched as the boy stripped down into sleeper pants and detached his arm.   
The bird fluffed up excitedly as he reviews away to get in. There was a fireplace in the far corner of the room living room. The cyborg stepped through a door, leaving it ajar.   
The corvid flew up above the straw roof of the hut, and landed gracefully on the ledge of the smoke stack. He hopped back and forth, feeling the heat rise out of the small chimney. Good thing the bird was born from heat.   
Gaining height, the bird nosedived into the stack, darkness engulfed him, but suddenly light and more heat. The bird swooped out of the way of the flames and landed on the old animal skin rug.   
Feathers were on fire. The bird bounced around, rolled onto his back and rubbed the flames out. He hoped back onto his feet, gave himself a little shake, starting with his head to the end of his tail feathers, and spied the ajar door.   
The dark raven corvid heard snoring. Which meant this must be the bedroom. The bird hopped in quietly. As he got closer to the four-post bed, beak gave way to a more human face, the body of the bird stretched, growing taller at every step, wings gave way to arms, to forearms to hands.   
The Old King reached full height, looming over Rhys has he slept.   
Handsome Jack reached up to smooth his hair back, not that it mattered what his hair looked like, he was standing buck ass naked in the middle of Rhys’ room.   
Jack yawned, coming back from the dead was exhausting. He crossed over the side of the bed and pulled back the covers and settled down in next to Rhys. Very shortly he was a sleep. 

A smell tickled at Rhys’ nose. It was a very familiar smell, of salt, grease and meat. Rhys sat up and stretched his one arm. He rubbed his tired eyes and sniffed again. Coffee, that second smell was definitely coffee.   
Rhys swung his feet over the ledge of the bed. He stood up, found his pink bunny slippers, slipped them on, and shuffled to the door.   
Rhys nudged the door open with his shoulder. He headed to the coffee pot first, that was across the kitchen and in the fire place. The old camper coffee pot was burnt from use and age. The blue and white pattern was almost rubbed off.   
Rhys grasped the handle with an oven mitt and poured the black sludge into a mug he had snatched off the counter.   
He settled the cast iron pot back into the fireplace and slowly got back into his feet. Clutching his mug and after a quick sip, Rhys started to talk. “Vaughn, I had the weirdest dream last night,” But Rhys paused.   
It wasn’t Vaughn in his kitchen.   
The Old King stood bare chested, sporting a pair of Rhys’ old very large pj pants.   
“Hey, sunshine, you’re up,” The smiling scarred mitch matching face said to him in a too loud voice so early in the morning. “Sorry, I had to borrow some of your pants, though I couldn’t fit the goods into the underwear you own, but these will do.” Handsome Jack said with a wink.  
Handsome Jack set a tray of bacon down on the kitchen table.   
Rhys was speechless. “How did you,” Rhys asked. “How?”  
There was a click of the door and it started to creek open.   
With the smell of sulfur Handsome Jack had turned back into his familiar form and landed with a flap of feathers and a hop on Rhys’ bare shoulders. The pants landed softly, pooling on the floor.   
Rhys squeaked, and Jack’s talons dug into supple flesh. He tugged at a lock of Rhys’ hair. Warning him to stay quiet.   
Vaughn stepped into Rhys’ house, followed by Yvette and Athena. Quietly entering the room after them was the doppelgänger, Timothy.   
Timothy was once a part of the Old King’s court. He volunteered for risky trial to make some extra money. Long story short, Timothy ended up looking exactly like the Old King and becoming the Old King’s escape goat when angry peasants come to complain to their ruler.   
“Bro, you made breakfast,” Vaughn exclaimed, reaching for the bacon.   
An angry screech broke out, splitting Rhys’ ear drum. The bird on Rhys shoulder hoped and swooped at Vaughn, Vaughn dodged and Jack landed on the mantel, more sounds erupting from his beak.   
Rhys got the impression that this bird was very angry.   
“What the hell, Rhys,” Athena said. “When did you get a bird.”  
Jack hopped back and forth screeching on the mantel.  
“Last night apparently,” Rhys said. “He was fine earlier, until you guys showed up.”  
“Well, let him back outside,” Yvette said. “No one wants feathers and bird poop everywhere.”  
Jack screeched loudly and fluffed up his feathers.   
“I don’t know,” Rhys said. “I kind a like him, I think I’ll keep him.”   
Jack stopped raving havoc and fell silent. He tilted his head, looking at Rhys.   
“Well at least you got him to shut up,” Athena said. “Did you cook?”   
“Yep, sure did,” Rhys shot a glance at Jack. The bird tilted his head again, but didn’t say anything. He started preening his feathers. “I was hoping I could lure in the Old King.”  
Timmy had been standing in the far corner, staring at the bird for quite some time now, but at mention of the old king he spoke up. “Vaughn filled me in,” Timmy stated. “He stopped by last night.” Vaughn took a breath and adjusted his shirt collar, but Rhys caught a glimpse of some bruises. “I don’t agree with you attempting to summon him, but I understand why you did it.”   
The corvid grasped the edge of the mantle and settled down into a crouch-like-squat. Rhys watched the bird.   
“Well if we’re all just going to stand around and let this food get cold, let me be the first one to take a plate,” Yvette settled down in a chair at the table.   
The rest of the group followed.   
Rhys sat with his back to the counters. Half of Rhys’ house was stick and mud built, the other half was a ruin from what the old ones called ‘an apartment’ which Rhys came to understand was multiple homes stacked upon each other.   
The bird landed again at Rhys’ shoulder, he started to preen Rhys’ hair. Rhys was in an balancing act with a bird on his armless shoulder, trying to eat as his familiar was obsessing over his hair.   
The group had a light conversation but Rhys was happy to see them leave, because as soon as they did Jack was back in his human form.  
Rhys tossed the pjs from the floor at him and turned his back.   
Warm arms captured him and pulled Rhys back into Jack’s chest.   
“You are so cute,” Jack said. He reached a hand to Rhys’ hair and ran his fingers through it. “So, freaking delicious.” Jack had a strong arm pinned around Rhys’ waist.   
“Uhm, okay, so we need to talk,” Rhys started.   
Jack nuzzled the back of Rhys’ neck. “We can talk in the bedroom,” Jack mumbled hot breath against Rhys’ neck.   
Rhys wiggled out of Jack’s grasp. “First off,” Rhys started, holding up a finger. “There are boundaries. And we are starting with you getting some proper clothes.”   
Jack rolled his eyes. “You know, you are so cute when you’re angry.”   
Rhys frown deepen. “Second off, we are in so shape or form friends,” Rhys took a breath. “You are my familiar and you’ll do what I say.”   
“Don’t need to tell me twice, sugartits,” Jack said, cocking a head to the left and smiling.   
Rhys rolled his eyes. “Ugh, stay here, we have work to do.” Rhys crossed the room and entered his bedroom.   
Rhys crossed back into the room, holding his metal arm and a pile of clothes. He was sporting some makeshift pants, created out of an old bed sheet and a plain shirt.   
Rhys set the clothes down the table, and started messing with his metal arm, trying to attach it to his socket.   
“What’s that,” Handsome Jack asked.   
“I can’t really explain it,” Rhys said, speaking in pauses focused on the clasp. “Long story short, I used a binding spell to attach the base latch to my shoulder and I just clip this is part on.” Rhys said, moving around to show Jack. “I found the arm along with a bunch of other old ones junk in some ruins north of here. When we could explore more.”  
“When you used to be able to explore more,” Jack asked.   
“It’s hard to get goods in and out of the city while the metal vault monsters looming around in every direction. The Atlas hunters do their best to get wild game but as the monsters are getting more aggressive,” Rhys said. “So, we do our best to make do with what materials we have.”  
Jack looked confused at Rhys.   
“Get dressed and I’ll show you,” Rhys said.   
As a response Jack reverted into his familiar form. He flew up and landed on Rhys’ shoulder.   
“This way is easier, and less suspicious,” Jack said. “Plus you’re the only who can hear me talk in this form.”  
Rhys grabbed his herb bag, slung it over his shoulder.


	3. We have more problems than vault monsters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhys shows ignorant Jack what's what and why he must help out the Atlas community.  
> Jack might have other plans for Rhys up his sleeve.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ohkay, I am warning readers now, towards the end of this chapter without giving anything away, there is hints of something in Rhys' past that MIGHT lead to some domestic abuse and maybe sexual assault.
> 
> I'm just warning readers now in case they feel they might be triggered. 
> 
> Thank you, other than that, enjoy the sassy mess that is Rhys.

Rhys kept low as he wound his way through the village to the outer gate walls. He headed to the back of the village, knowing there was three loose boards that he could swing out and squeeze his string bean frame through the hole.   
Jack set dutifully on his shoulder, he started to preen Rhys’ hair again, despite Rhys trying to shake him off.   
Voices arose as they rounded the next hut. They were happy voices, and the sound of clinking platter. Rhys froze, keeping low behind a cabbage cart, he spied two off duty guards enjoying a quick meal. They sat on logs, backs faced Rhys as they crowded round a fire, oblivious that their leader was crouched behind them.   
Now Rhys could just order the two guards away. But it looked awfully suspicious with Rhys emerging from behind a cabbage cart, without Athena or any of his other council with him, and a very large bird on his shoulder.   
Jack, acting on his own, jumped form Rhys’s shoulder and started attacking the two gauds.  
“Go,” Jack squawked. “I’ll distract them.”   
Food, plates and silverwear fell to the men’s feet as they put up their arms to fend of Jack. The Corvid swooped down, in a furry of feathers and squawks.   
Rhys shot Jack one last glance and snuck past them to the wood fenced wall. Rhys, quietly as he could, pried the boards apart. More guards came to help chase Jack off. But without prevail.   
Loud sqwaking erupted from Jack as one of the guards gripped Jack’s leg. Without a second thought Jack bit the man and latched on until he let go.  
Rhys snickered quietly, he lifted a leg bent his body, and slipped through. As soon as Rhys was through, Jack flew away, leaving the astonished guards.   
Rhys reached through the gate and righted the boards again. He ducked under the small over hang on the fence, straightened up, and jumped as Jack landed on his shoulder again.   
“Why do you ride on me when you can just fly,” Rhys asked, shaking his shoulder with no prevail.   
“Don’t worry, I’ll give you a chance to ride me,” Jack said with a chuckle. He nipped at Rhys’ ear.  
Rhys grimaced, “Well, pay attention, we’re nearing the usual heard that’s usually directly outside of the walls.”  
Rhys stayed low and he slid into the underbrush, up ahead mechanical sounds could be heard.   
“Now, I can’t see very well out of my blue eye,” Rhys whispered tapping his temple. “So, I am going to need your help. I’m not usually out here, alone, because of said reason.”  
Jack jerked on Rhys’ hair and flew off before Rhys could protest. He landed high in an oak tree overhead. Jack fluffed up his feathers and looked around.   
“You can move up to the next bush,” Jack called down from over the tree tops. “Move now.”   
Rhys hurried and moved to the next patch of tall grass. Here he saw some herbs that he could use for healing and some sticks to make arrows.   
“Next patch,” Jack said. “Go.”   
Rhys slid in. He waved at Jack. The corvid landed on Rhys’ shoulder. Rhys started to collect more herbs. As he did this he spoke to Jack in hushed tones. “Describe what you see.”  
“I see metal objects moving around, lights shooting from bulbs in their heads,” Jack said. “Some look like horses and others look like dinosaurs? But sorry, cupcake, these aren’t vault monsters.”  
“Yes, these are not exactly the vault monsters that Daul let out, but these are also some of the monsters roaming the area which also makes it hard for the Atlas’ people,” Rhys said. “We’re under attack everywhere.”  
They stayed long enough to fill Rhys’ herb sack and headed back to the settlement. 

When they got back to Rhys’ shack, Rhys tossed his back of herbs down on the coffee table and turned around to face Jack. “Okay, so now that you know what we’re dealing with,” Rhys said turning around. “we need to come up with a game plan.”  
Jack captured Rhys’ face in his big hands. Rhys froze in spot, afraid to move. Jack thumbed the high cheek bone under Rhys’ blue eye, staring deep into it. “Who hurt you,” Jack whispered.   
Rhys stepped back and shook his head from Jack’s grasp. “No one, don’t worry about it, and put on some clothes, please, for the love of Peet.”   
“Who is this Peet and why do you love him,” Jack asked, brow furrowing, he grabbed the pants, that Rhys had stacked on the kitchen table, at least and tugged them on.   
Rhys collapsed back on the couch, sprayed out, and closed his eyes. Rhys felt movement near him, when he opened his eyes and saw Jack’s face hovering over him, splayed across his lap, either arm on either side of his head.   
Rhys frowned, “Please get off me,” he said.   
“Are you sure you want that, Rhysie,” Jack asked, moving his face closer to Rhys’. A hand came up and cupped back the back of Rhys’ neck. Jack tilted Rhys’ chin up.   
“If you’re going to kiss me, please don’t,” Rhys stated in a monotone. “I saw you eat those worms while we were in the field. Don’t think I wasn’t watching.”  
Jack’s face fell.   
Using his robotic arm, Rhys pried Jack off his lap, knocking him off onto the other end of the couch. Rhys pulled his legs up and looked over at his rejected familiar.   
Jack grabbed a pillow, held it to his chest, and refused to catch Rhys’ eyes. He pushed out a bottom lip and Rhys swore he saw a tear.   
“Seriously, I need your help,” Rhys pushed on, ignoring the tantrum Jack was throwing.   
“How so,” Jack finally after a long silence. “With what? I doubt it’s to be your seeing eye bird.” Jack ended the sentence with a rejected snort. He was being all sorts of a drama King today.   
“With how we can stop these machines, these vault monsters, how are we going to stop them,” Rhys said. “They have been getting worse. More aggressive. We had to eliminate trades with other cities and villages because of the high threat.”   
“So, what do you need me for,” Jack snorted. “What can I do?”  
“Well you were once King, can’t you like, help,” Rhys asked, his voice edging on a wine.   
“Yeah, I was king until your loving Uncle killed me,” Jack didn’t know whether Rhys flinched at the words “loving” or “uncle”. Jack took a breath. He locked eyes with Rhys. “Duh, pumpkin, Vault Hunting was my expertise,” Jack flashed Rhys famous charming smile. “I can also show you what other talents I have.” Jack winked at Rhys. He rolled up on to all fours and crawled closer.   
Rhys smacked him in the face with a pillow, “knock it off,” Rhys said. “Time to be serious.”  
Jack sat back on his hunches and rubbed his face. “Well first off we need to discuss the rules of engagement here.”   
Rhys raised an eyebrow at him. “Go on.”  
“I am your familiar so that comes with some consequences on both sides,” Jack said. “First off, I’m bound to you and must do what you say, without resistance.”   
Rhys smirked, his hands wound around the bear skin blanket he was sitting on. Rhys jerked it up and threw over his legs. “Sounds good,” Rhys said. “Go on.”  
“But with that bond, it also means you’re bound to me as well,” Jack inched closer to Rhys, his fingers curled in the fur of the bear. “You sold a part of your soul to bring me back. You’re mine.”   
Rhys snorted. “In the only sense of business partners,” Rhys said. “Nothing more.”  
It was Jack’s turn to frown. “Why must you say these mean things to me, Rhysie.” He pouted. Jack licked his bottom lip. “I’m sure I can get you to change your mind.”  
“Doubt it,” Rhys snorted. “Anyway, do you have any idea where these things are coming from?”  
Jack stretched, leaning back in the couch. He wormed his toes under the blanket that Rhys was using. “I miiiiight, know where these things are coming from.” Jack paused.   
Rhys narrowed his eyes on Jack, Rhys asked. “What did you do?”  
“Me,” Jack sat up, pointing at himself. “What do you mean me? I’m innocent in all of this.”   
“Yeah, because the Cold-Blooded King, ruler of the biggest regime in all of history, since the old ones, is totally innocent in every act he performed against his kingdom,” Rhys said with the roll of his eyes.   
“Yeah, exactly, blame Timmy,” Jack smirked. “I know I did.”  
“Yeah you did,” Rhys snapped at him. “Every time a villager came to explain why he couldn’t pay the crop penance because of a drought and you had his fields burned, when the owner came to complain about his fields burning, you had his home destroyed, when the family came to morn about their father/husband being murdered, you had the village wiped out. And Timmy had to be there to listen to all the woes that you caused him. Yeah, blame Timmy.”  
Jack shrugged and snorted. “It all comes with the title of King,” he studied Rhys’ face. “Timtams knew that.”   
“Timmy was in debt because you destroyed his only source of income and couldn’t pay by you nor the debt collectors that he stupidly got in contract with to have money to pay for your hike in taxes,” Rhys argued back. “He was going all he could to protect his mother. So, she wouldn’t be kicked out on the street and resort to peddling, begging, for money.”  
“You mean the same mother that laughed when she was told her son died,” Jack retorted.   
Rhys slapped him across the face. Flesh hitting flesh broke the sound barrier in the room, causing the air to tense. Rhys recoiled immediately, pulling his knees to his chest, pressing a hand against his mouth. He’s never hit someone, and especially not in the face. Rhys shoved himself backwards until the arm of the couch was pressing against the small of his back. Rhys squeezed his eyes shut, not to block out the astonished face of the Old King, but to block out the black flashes that were trying to claw their way in, scraping out from the back of Rhys’ subconscious.  
The couch sank as Jack shifted his weight, coming to lay next to Rhys, he slid under the blankets and balanced himself on the outer edge of the couch. Jack cradled the shaking Rhys in his arms and placed a kiss to his temple.   
“Hey, what’s going on,” Jack said in a shaky voice. “Come’on, kitten I have been hit with much worse.” Jack weakly joked, placing more kisses to the side of Rhys’ face.   
Hot tears left trails on Rhys’ cheeks as they rolled down.   
Jack accommodated Rhys as he moved to crawl closer into Jack, pressing his face in Jack’s chest. Jack held Rhys close as he cried himself to sleep.


	4. A New Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jack plays hero and saves the day.   
> Or does he just play Rhys for his own personal gain?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me forever to update this AU.   
> Well here it is again and I made this one longer because I suck xD   
> Thanks for sticking with me! I really am sorry.

When Rhys woke up a while later, Jack was gone. In his place Vaughn and Yvette were sitting at the table, eating bread and cheese, hovering over a yellowed map.   
Rhys glanced out the window and saw that the bonfires were lit.  
“Hey, you’re awake,” Vaughn said. “I let Yvette and I in, you should really lock your doors.”   
Rhys sat up and rubbed his eyes. Across the room, in the far corner behind the two friends, a corvid sat on a perch.   
Vaughn glanced over his shoulder, trailing the sight line of Rhys. “Yeah, I found it when I was out today, scavenging, just outside the walls,” Vaughn turned back around to face Rhys. “I figured if you’re going to keep it, you should at least give its own place to sleep.”  
Rhys nodded. “That’s kind of you. When you were out there, did how far did you go?”  
“No change bro,” Vaughn said. “There is no way we’re going to be able to get large carts in and out of the city. I still startled the machines when I was out there, and it was only me and two guards.”   
Rhys nodded again and stood up. He crossed the room and joined his friends at the table.   
Jack cawed from across the room. Rhys glanced up.  
“So, did you name it yet,” Yvette said.   
“It’s a boy,” Rhys said. “I think I named him Princess.”   
Jack stopped squawking and looked at Rhys dead in the eyes.   
“I don’t think he likes that name,” Vaughn said. Glancing between Rhys and the bird.   
“Eh, nah, I think he likes it,” Rhys smirked. “Don’t you, Princess.”   
The Corvid shifted back and forth on his perch, and hunched down, glaring, the best he could in bird form, at Rhys.   
“Anyway,” Rhys said continuing. “I have another idea, I know you all rejected it before, but there seems to be no other choice.”   
“Rhys,” Yvette said. “No, bad bad idea.”  
“Hey, who’s side are you on here,” Rhys asked, surprised that Yvette was siding with Vaughn before they even heard the remodeled plan. “I have reinvented it. It’s fool proof.”  
“Just like the one where you would summon the Old King and he would help get rid of the vault monsters,” Vaughn said. “Because that doesn’t seem to have worked.”   
“Well Princess turned out of be more of an issue than planned,” Rhys retorted.   
Vaughn raised an eyebrow. “The bird?”   
Rhys bit his lip. “What? No, but we are going to use the bird.”   
Yvette shook her head and broke up the confusing argument. “Okay, what exactly is going on here, Rhys, what new plan is this? If this is your plan to go into the eridium mines and use them as a tunnel around the vault monsters, we all know how that will work.”   
Rhys opened his mouth to protest.   
“No-wait,” Yvette said. “If somehow you got past the vault monster in there, you have no idea where the mine ends, also if there is another opening, and also you have no idea how to keep other vault monsters out of there, if we are to use it frequently.”  
“Magic, duh,” Rhys said, snorting. “I am a wizard.”   
*You’re a wizard, Rhysie* Jack’s voice echoed in Rhys’ head.   
Rhys’ face warmed. J-Jack  
*Chill, Rhysie, don’t give it away. Jack laughed in his head. This vault monster, if you think this plan will work, we can do it. I got your back, Rhysie, baby.*   
Rhys swallowed. He shook his head, clearing the insulting voice breaching his personal space. “We can do this, I can do this,” Rhys said to his two friends. “It’s my job as leader to get us out of here.”   
“It’s your job as leader to stay alive,” Vaughn snorted. “If you don’t live how the hell are we supposed to stop your Uncle.”   
“WE.HAVE.NO.IDEA.IF.THAT.IS.MY.TRUE.UNCLE,” Rhys said, raising his voice.   
Vaughn stepped back, he lowered his head and nodded. “Yes, I know, I’m sorry.”   
Rhys turned away from both of them, rubbing the back of his neck. He turned to look at his familiar in the corner, who was studying the trio.   
Yvette elbowed Vaughn. She shot him a dirty look.   
Despite the funeral and Athena’s recount on how Cyprus died, there was a rumor that a darkness had fallen upon the Old King’s corner, the place where Cyprus had fallen himself, a darkness, an evil, that was brewing.   
Some say that it might even be the source of the Vault Monsters.   
But Rhys believed that Daul had everything to do with the Vault Monsters and he wont believe the rumors until he sees it for himself.   
So he refuses to discuss his uncle and his whereabouts.   
And refuses to believe that the coffin was empty when Athena and Timmy went to check, to put these rumors to rest.   
Jack tipped his eyed and blinked at Rhys. Rhys signed. He rotated aback around and looked at his two advisors, “Okay, I have a plan, and I’m going to check out the mine.’   
“Not by yourself your not,” Vaughn said, arguing back.   
“I’ll take Princess with me,” Rhys said.   
“I’ll go with you,” Yvette said.   
“No, you won’t, I am going by myself,” Rhys snapped back.   
“Rhys,” Vaughn started.   
“That’s an order, stay here, don’t tell anyone where I went,” Rhys shot back. Rhys slipped on his herb sack, threw on his cloak that was slung over a chair absentmindedly, he stalked to the doorway and grabbed his staff.   
Jack flew from the perch to Rhys’ shoulder, he tugged at Rhys’ hair.   
Rhys closed the door without another word.  
***  
Vaughn looked over at Yvette. “I don’t like that bird.”   
“I don’t like the idea where this is going,” Yvette said. She gathered up her things spread out on the kitchen table. “Stay here and take care of any visitors. I need to go study.”  
“You don’t like where what is going,” Vaughn said. He reached out to her but Yvette evaded him. “Stay here, if you need me, send word. I will be in the library.”   
***  
You were great in there, Rhysie, you have makings of being a great King, O’l Jack can show you how it’s done. The Corvid flew above them, cawing and echoing his voice in Rhys’ head.   
They were outside the wall now, and heading to the old mine shaft. The pull of Eridium was stronger here. Rhys should feel the energy growing. The longer he was in here, the longer he was going to feel sick.   
But maybe it would be different with Jack here, he could split the load, judging from what Jack had said about them being bound to each other.   
*That is correct, pumpkin, we share energy between us, think of me as an extension of your arms and legs.* Jack snorted in Rhys’ head *But am more handsome version.*  
Rhys rolled his eyes. “We’re alone, you can talk out loud.”  
“What, you miss my voice that much,” Jack cawed, he landed on Rhys’ shoulder.   
“No, I rather not have a psychopath’s voice in my head,” Rhys snorted.   
“Rude, Rhysie, rude,” Jack flapped off and landed in front of the mine. “I guess this is were we need to go?”  
Rhys nodded. “Yes, in there,” Rhys took a deep breath an entered.   
***  
The mine was dark, Rhys used a lighting spell, the end of his staff lit a bright halo of light around the wizard and the familiar.   
“Okay, so are you going to tell me the story of your uncle or not,” Jack asked after a moment of silence.   
“Not,” Rhys retorted quickly. “Plus, can’t you just read my memories.”   
“Usually, but those specifically are in dark recedes of your mind that I can’t seem to access,” Jack said, thoughtfully.   
“Well there’s your answer,” Rhys snorted.   
They paused. Rhys looked down and saw a deep abyss that had some pulsing purple light. The light was dim, barely visible.  
Jack whistled, he was standing by Rhys in his human form, “I would suggest not falling down there, princess.”   
Rhys just stared at Jack. “No, Jack, I was planning on jumping down there.” Rhys eyed Jack but immediately regretted it. “What the hell, Jack, put some pants on.” Rhys covered his eyes.   
Jack smirked. “What cha talking about, darling, don’t tell me you’re embarrassed. Or do you like what you see?”   
Rhys turned his back on Jack. “Come on, we’re on a mission, I don’t have time for your crap.” Rhys headed down the cliff’s edge “I think I see a bridge of sorts. Well the bridge should still be here anyway.”  
Jack flew ahead of Rhys, feathers fell from him, leaving a trail.   
Rhys rolled his eyes. He did not have time for Jack’s temper tantrums.   
Jack landed on the other side of the makeshift swing bridge. There were two wooden posts on either side of the abyss. Rope connected the posts across the gap both on the left and right. Wooden plants were woven with rope. At one point the bridge was the main path for miners.   
Now it lay in shambles, planks missing here and there.   
Jack cawed from his spot.   
“Yeah, yeah, well some of us don’t have wings,” Rhys said. He picked up his staff and, walking like a tightrope performer, he balanced himself across the bridge.   
He was at the other side when the bridge gave. He took a leap of faith and landed on his hands and knees in front of Jack.   
*You know, you look pretty good down there, on your hands and knees.*  
Rhys blushed and climbed to his feet. He shot the bird a dirty look. “Frigg off.”   
Jack laughed in Rhys’ head. Rhys felt claws in his hair and the bird flew over him. Keep up, Princess, I wanna meet this vault monster.   
***  
Jack got to watch Rhys stumble and fall a couple of other times before they finally made it to the center of the mine, the source of the eridium power, and the home of the vault monster.   
Rhys hunched down behind a large bolder and watched the creature.   
It was what the old ones once called “a bear” Rhys had learned in the books in the library that he studied up on when first encountering the creature with Vaughn and Yvette.   
But this creature barely resembled the bare. This creature was large, bald, and had claws that were 6 inches long at least, Rhys judged. The creature’s teeth were long and sharp and he was all around scary.   
*How are we going to do this* Rhys asked Jack.   
Jack was silent. *Maybe we can sneak around him. He suggested after a moment. I see that there is a path up to the left, it climbs up to the cliff above.*   
Rhys nodded. He crouched down and followed Jack’s instructions. Rhys’ sight was swimming from the overpowering energy of the eridium. His stomach felt sick, Rhys swallowed dryly.   
*You doing okay* Jack asked as they started to quietly climb the incline.   
The creature was rutting around in some eridium ore, his back to them.   
The energy was stronger here. Rhys nodded his head, immediately regretted it. Rhys blinked, and saw Jack in his human form before he went to black.   
***  
“Wake up, wake up,” a voice echoed in Rhys’ head. Rhys stirred awake and saw his uncle standing above him. “Get up, we have to go.”   
He grabbed Rhys’ right arm. Rhys looked down to see it was flesh. Rhys glanced around, this was his room when he was smaller. This was his childhood memory. Which means once we open the door…  
“Rhys, wake up, wake up,” it was a different voice now. “Rhys. Rhysie, you’re talking in your sleep. Come on pumpkin, wake up, …please.”   
***  
Rhys blinked awake to see his bathroom. The bright light stung his eyes and he wrenched them closed. His shoulder throbbed. Rhys lifted an arm to touch the stump. His metal arm was gone. And he was floating in some water.   
Rhys blinked away the light and saw that Jack was sitting besides the tub. Elbows deep in the water, the water was red, and bloody.   
Rhys widened his eyes and tried to sit up, a pain stung, digging into his stomach.   
“I healed them as much as I could,” Jack said. “I got us out of there, but I used a lot of magic and didn’t have enough left to fully heal you.” He laid his head on the bathtub edge. “So I did the best I could and brought you here.”  
Rhys reached out and touched his fingers to Jack’s head, it was difficult with the angle of his body, but Jack scooted closer. Rhys ran his fingers through Jack’s hair.   
“I smell healing positions and herbs,” Rhys said. “Did you infuse them in the water?”  
Jack gave a shy smile. “When you didn’t wake up I panicked, maybe,” he lifted his head. “You fell and that thing fell upon you. You really have no resistance to eridium.”  
Rhys snorted and pulled back. “No, I don’t.” He admitted after a while. He knew not having a resistance made him weak.   
“I can help with that,” Jack said.   
Rhys raised an eyebrow and waited.   
“But we would have to draw up another agreement,” Jack smirked slyly. “And it would require you giving something to me.”   
Before Rhys had a chance to answer, there was knock at his door.   
***  
“The one time you lock your door and you are bleeding all over the place,” Vaughn yelled. He gestured at the mess in the kitchen leading to the bathroom. “What the hell happened.”   
“Where’s Yvette,” Rhys asked, trying to change the subject.   
“No,no, don’t even try that,” Vaughn jumped on him again. “Tell me, now.”   
“I got overwhelmed by the eridium and I passed out for a second, a SECOND,” Rhys said, at Vaughn’s astonished look. “Then I woke up, the thing was on me and I used a quick transportation spell.”  
“You don’t know any transportation spells,” Vaughn pushed.   
“I have been practicing,” Rhys retorted quickly.   
Vaughn opened his mouth to argue some more, but Rhys held up a hand. “I’m done talking about it.”   
Vaughn sighed and realized Rhys was not going to budge. He looked around “Where is your corvid?”  
Jack, happened to be passed out on Rhys’s bed; too weak to turn back into his bird form. As Vaughn and Rhys chatted, Jack snored away.   
Rhys blanched, hopefully Vaughn couldn’t hear the snoring or wouldn’t ask about it.   
“I don’t know, off eating worms somewhere,” Rhys suggested weakly.   
Vaughn stayed an hour more, but it was getting late and Rhys was sore from what happened. Luckily Rhys didn’t have to force d the yawn that broke their conversation.   
“Alright boss,” Vaughn said, after he was sure that Rhys was not going to die from his wounds. “I will leave. See you tomorrow.”   
After Vaughn exited the hut Rhys got up from the chair, went to the bathroom, came back and collapsed on his side of the bed.   
His stomach wounds still stung and he was still woozy from the eridium. But sleep would soon come and Rhys was so happy.   
Rhys was stuck in his thoughts that when Jack wrapped his arms around Rhys’ waist, he almost screamed.   
“Calm down, kitten,” Jack said, nuzzling himself into Rhys’ neck, Jack’s breath tickled his nape. “It’s just Daddy.”  
Rhys snorted. “Why are you still here, Jack, shouldn’t you be rested up enough to change back,” Rhys protested, weakly. He would claim later that he was too tired and sore to fight off Jack’s advances and not at all did he want any of it. Despite what his thoughts were.   
“Shh shh,” Jack said. He pulled the covers up over both of them. “Go to sleep. It’s been a long day.”   
Rhys closed his eyes.

**Author's Note:**

> What did I get myself into?  
> Also my titles suck, so I apologize.


End file.
